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Flash floods kill 20 in Afghanistan, 100 missing

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • At least 20 people died and 100 are missing following flash floods in northeastern Afghanistan on Monday.
  • The death toll is expected to rise, with most damage reported in Nuristan province.
  • Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, with deforestation exacerbating flood risks.

Flash floods swept through northeastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least 20 people and leaving 100 others missing, according to the Taliban-run government. Officials anticipate the death toll will climb as search and rescue operations continue in the remote Nuristan province, near the Afghan-Pakistani border.

The National Disaster Management Authority reported that at least 80 people were injured in the devastating floods. The authority expressed fears of "severe financial and human losses" as rescuers work in the affected areas. Most of the reported damage occurred in Parun, the capital of Nuristan.

Afghanistan remains acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The country experiences increased drought in some regions and more intense rainfall in others. In Nuristan and surrounding provinces, deforestation has significantly worsened the severity of flash floods in recent decades by reducing the soil's capacity to absorb rainwater.

severe financial and human losses

— National Disaster Management AuthorityOfficials expressed concern about the potential scale of the disaster following the flash floods.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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